Collisionology.

Insights & resources from Chief Technology.

If you’re a shop manager, you know that it takes a lot of effort to keep your technicians set up with the best body shop equipment, but it’s an essential task. After all, those tools are vital for keeping your business chugging along. Knowing this is a major undertaking, it’s smart to think about ways to make the process simpler. One easy-to-implement option is to find an equipment supplier you trust, build a relationship and then use them as both a product source and a partner.

Here’s what to expect from a single-source equipment supplier and partner:

A Wide Variety of Parts and Dedicated Support

Of course, if you’re looking for a one-stop-shop, you’ll need to make sure they can provide you with the structural repair equipment you’ll need, including:

And when you need parts for that equipment, your supplier should be able to help you get high-quality replacements quickly and easily. On top of that, the best sellers will offer support after the purchase. When shopping around, make sure they’ll be available to answer questions about operation or troubleshooting. If you invest significant dollars in a piece of equipment, you should be able to expect support from the seller when you need it.

Training Opportunities

When you choose a supplier that’s truly a partner, you can count on them to help you keep up with trends and techniques and guide your technicians. For example, Chief offers Chief University, a collision repair school that will help you and your technicians stay up-to-date on the latest repair methods with hands-on training.

Whether you’re onboarding new employees or looking to help your veteran team members update their skills, training is a valuable asset. When your staff understands the best techniques and how to use equipment correctly and safely, your whole shop will operate more efficiently.

Industry Insights and Updates

If you work with a single-source provider, you can expect them to be invested in your future. As a partner, it’s part of their job to stay on top of the latest changes in the repair industry and recommend body shop equipment accordingly. After all, it’s in their best interest to be innovative and continually work to provide the equipment you’ll need today and tomorrow.

Just like you work to form relationships with your customers so they know they can count on you for future needs, the best equipment suppliers will do the heavy lifting and help you stay on top of the changing auto industry.

Let your structural repair equipment supplier help you manage the task of keeping your team up and running with quality body shop equipment. It’s a big task, and choosing the right partner will make it just a little bit easier.

This content has been updated to reflect current standards. It was originally published on May 31, 2016.